The 6-year-old student attends Flynn Park Elementary School in University City. Every morning, his mother, Elisha Foster, accompanies him to the bus stop on North Drive, and she’s there at 4 p.m. when he gets off the bus.

But on that cold, rainy Tuesday afternoon, her boy never came home. Foster said he was reported absent and, fearing the worst, immediately called the police to report him missing.

"That's when I started panicking, I got scared because I knew my baby got on the bus that morning," Foster said.

The school district confirmed the boy was inadvertently left alone on the unheated school bus for eight hours Tuesday.

The 6-year-old apparently boarded the bus, fell asleep, and remained on the vehicle after others exited. The bus driver missed seeing the boy after dropping all the other students off at school that morning.

The school bus company said the driver has been suspended pending a full investigation. The district is reviewing its internal safety and security procedures.

And while the school district apologized for the concern and worry brought to the family, Foster said what happened is totally unacceptable.